The Adventures of Miss Canada in St. Louis: What do you mean I've been here less than 48 hours?!?

It's amazing the difference a day can make. Yesterday when I posted I felt tired, overwhelmed and not particularly inspired. Today I am excited and interested and engaged, and feel like all these new people are suddenly my friends.

I'm still tired though.

Here's what changed my mind and my outlook:

1. A fabulously fun evening service run by a Pentecostal Black man currently in seminary in New York City, complete with clapping and singing and a fabulous female black stump preacher. There was "Amen!" shouting and everything.

2. Some good conversations with people, not necessarily about theology, but just about life. I suddenly feel like I know these people, like they're not strangers.

3. Making a spectacle of myself in the fountain which is at the centre of campus. I jumped in and splashed about in it whenever I got a chance, and, in a moment of late evening madness, chased a random golden labrador in and around the fountain. It was some family's dog, but luckily they didn't mind me playing with him.

4. A really good Friday morning seminar on "Transformative Preaching" with the fabulous preacher lady from Thursday night (her name is Teresa Fry Brown) which reminded me part of my impulse to get into ministry in the first place -- I LOVE giving sermons. Something about the words and the bible study and the ability to influence and help others that just makes me all tingly.

5. An afternoon workshop which involved going to the MOCRA (a gallery for contemporary religious art) and being given a really quick overview of art history followed by some fascinating discussion on modern art pieces (including one installation that was a piece of sheet metal inside a huge steel cage. The piece was called "La Pieta", which led to my creation of the memorable phrase "sheet metal Jesus"). We ended the visit off by going inside a church on the University of St. Louis Campus -- a gorgeous place with huge ceilings and breathtaking architecture. I don't know what it is about church architecture, but it really does give me a sense of holiness.

Of course, my interest in this workshop was helped along by the fact that it was led by a v. v. cute young man with curly hair wearing a crisp, untucked white button-up shirt. And most of you faithful readers know my soft spot for men wearing crisp dress shirts.......yum.

The workshop also involved going on a bit of a bus trip out from Eden Seminary, which was nice. I got to see the St. Louis Arch, and realize how creepily segregated St. Louis (along with most major American cities) still is. I have no desire to go sightseeing, but it's nice to say I've seen a bit of the city now.

So basically, I'm happy. Still not quite sure about the whole theology thing, but at least having a better time of it in the here and now. And now I'm off to play in the fountain again.